Do Chicken Nesting Boxes Need to be Private?
It’s best if the boxes are fairly enclosed- it makes the box slightly more dim, and dim lighting helps discourage bad habits such as egg pecking to form. Generally, although communal boxes are often used to success, I usually advise people to make sure they are only big enough for one hen at a time. If you have communal boxes, you increase the chances of an egg breaking if some sort of scuffle occurs- especially if you aren’t collecting them frequently enough. Broken eggs can once again lead to egg eating. It’s much more important however to make sure your boxes are properly roofed. Make sure they can’t roost directly over the nest boxes so that the nesting material remains clean.
